Board of Directors

Brigadier Ian Inshaw DL

Chairman

Ian completed his 34 years army service as the Garrison Commander of Bicester Garrison in 1999. Since then he has been involved in consultancy in various fields and was Chairman of the Oxfordshire Ambulance Trust and the North East Primary Care Trust. He had the honour of being the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 2008/9 and is a Deputy Lieutenant of the County. He is currently the Chairman of P3 Eco Bicester which has facilitated the first Eco Town in the Country. He has been Chairman of The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust since 2006. He is married with two children and three Grandchildren and his interests include his family history, linking businesses with charities, DIY and the countryside.

Brigadier David Innes OBE

Trustee Director

David Innes was the first commanding officer of the 5th Battalion Royal Green Jackets, a new Territorial Army battalion raised in the mid 1980s and based in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. on the Board David represents the interests of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, the Royal Green Jackets and todays regiment, The Rifles, and is responsible for fundraising.

Colonel Christopher Laurence MBE QVRM TD

Trustee Director

Colonel Chris Laurence commanded the QOOH Squadron from 1983 to 1989 and went on to command 39 (City of London) Signal Regiment (Special Communications)(Volunteers) in 1992. In civilian life he is a veterinary surgeon and has held senior positions in the RSPCA and Dogs Trust. Chris is the current Chairman of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry Trust and chairs the SOFO Finance Committee.

Colonel John Bridgeman CBE TD DL

Trustee Director

John is Chairman of various companies and organisations in the public, private and third sectors and has particular expertise in charities and charitable trusts and a vast range of industries. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in November 1989 and was awarded the CBE in 2001. John was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1995.

Heather Carter

Trustee Director

Heather joined the Blenheim Palace management team in 2006 moving from an exciting career in hospitality and banqueting in the City of London and working with Government Hospitality team. Her role as Operations Director at Blenheim Palace today is to be responsible for the management of all of the day-visitor facing operations, most notably guest services, security, events, retail and catering but also externally to represent the Estate’s businesses locally to promote and to drive the Palaces economic contribution to the local community. Heather lives in Woodstock and is a member of the Wake Up To Woodstock steering group, B4 and works closely with Experience Oxfordshire.

Major Tom Shannon TD PhD FIE(Aust.) CPEng (Biomed.)

Trustee Director

Tom has served as an Australian national serviceman, regular soldier, naval reserve sailor and finally as a Territorial rifleman in the County Regiment. He is a founder of the Oxford Metrics Group plc with over 30 years of international and commercial experience as a practicing engineer and scientist with a focus on the medical applications of computer vision to human motion and shape. Tom currently holds a Visiting Professorship within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Staffordshire University researching adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and is married with two children and grandchildren. In his spare time he is also a passionate amateur historian and a sheep and cattle farmer in Somerset.

Marie-Jane Barnett

Chairman of the Friends of SOFO

Marie-Jane is the chairman of the friends and praetorians. She is responsible for organising our most successful events including lunches and parties, just as you would expect from the Lady of Towersey manor. She was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 2010 and has a passion for jazz music as well as being a talented jazz singer herself.